Product Details

• Actors: Sam Elliott, Claudia Christian, Devon Ericson, Michael C. Gwynne, Donald Moffat
• Directors: Peter Levin
• Writers: Frank Q. Dobbs, John Binder
• Producers: Sam Elliott, Frank Q. Dobbs, J.D. Feigelson, Paul Freeman
• Format: Color, EP, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Republic Pictures
• VHS Release Date: January 1, 1998
• Run Time: 144 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6302362849
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #191,065 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Slow moving Sam Houston autobiography, May 9, 2003

By 

T O'Brien (Chicago, Il United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gone to Texas [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Gone to Texas is a good TV movie about the life of Sam Houston. It follows Houston from his days as the Governor of Tennessee all the way through to his time as the commander of the army during the Texas War for Independence. Interweaved through it all is depictions of the fall of the Alamo, the Goliad massacre, and also the government convention at Washington-on-the-Brazos. This is also one of the only movies to show the taking of San Antonio by the Texans three months before the siege of the Alamo.

This may not be very interesting to people who do not already know something about Houston or at least some background about the time. Sam Elliott is pretty good as Sam Houston with Michael Beck giving a decent performance as the knife fighter Jim Bowie. There is a very good presentation of the battle for San Jacinto as well. Interesting movie which does take a while to get going.

47 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth Watching, January 29, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Gone to Texas (DVD)

I have never been much of a history buff, but lately Texas History has become a passion of mine.

I thought this movie had some outstanding acting (with the exception of Sam Houston's part Cherokee wife) and told a story that you rarely get to see in such honesty. Watching previous accounts of the battle at the Alamo between Santa Ana and General Travis...one might be led to believe that Houston was a coward for not going to go help them fight. But watching this movie, and reading more about what he did, you understand his reasons for refusing..and you find a new found respect for the man. Well, at least I did. Very well done and very informative! I give it an enthusiastic two thumbs up!

32 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars God & Texas...and Sam Houston, September 9, 2003

By 

Sam Whitley (Houston, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gone to Texas [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This made for TV movie is a decent attempt to portray one of the central figures in the Texas Revolution and the subsequent history of Texas. Told from the perspective of Sam Houston, the story begins with a cameo of Houston's election as Govenor of Tennessee and a very brief explanation of his subsequent journey to Texas on the eve of revolution.

The history portrayed is largely correct, and the scenes of battle (at the Alamo and at San Jacinto) are carefully portrayed and present viewpoints and information rarely seen elsewhere. I would like to have seen Sam Elliot shave off his famous moustache for the film, but I guess I can overlook that. As one of the many Jacksonian era living history reenactors whose time, effort, and presence made the movie, and especially the battle scenes, more accurate and memorable, I am somewhat prejudiced about the film's merits. Still, viewed from a historical perspective, it gives a good overview of the passions and politics that forged the Republic of Texas. If you want to learn something about the way Texas became an independent Republic, this movie beats reading almost any single account of the story. There are a few glaring flaws in the movie, but they pale in comparison to the overall product. Academy Award material? No, but a long way from boring.